Charge determining device



June 2, 1931. H, J, MURPHY 1,807,928

CHARGE DETERMINING DEVICE Original Filed Jan. 9, 1926 #t Centralized Patented June 2, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOWARD J. MURPHY, OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO ALEMITE CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

DELAWARE A CORPORATION 0F CHARGE BETERMINING DEVICE Griginal application filed January 9,

1926,*Sera1 No. 80,244. Divided and this application filed November 25, 1927. Serial No. 235,492.

This invention aims to provide means in lubricating apparatus, and is more particularly concerned with the charge determining devices of so-called centralized systems.

lubricating systems comprise in general a lubricant reservoir or other source of lubricant supply, a pump supplied from said reservoir, a conduit or conduits leading from the pump to the bearings to be lubricated, and a charge determining device adjacent each bearing for regulating the quantity of lubricant supplied thereto oy the pump.

In the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention,

Figure 1 is a sectional view of my new and improved charge determining device showing the normal position of the expelling means when the pump is at rest;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the expelling means inan intermediate position; and

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the expelling means in full discharge position. f

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a charge determining device having an end 15 adapted to be connected to a lubricant conduit leading from the pump of the centralized lubricating system, and having an outlet end 16 adapted to be connected to the bearing to be lubricated. Each charge determining device includes a charge determining chamber 17 having an enlarged bore at the inlet end of the device. Inlet 18 and outlet 19 are provided at opposite ends of the chamber, while a piston 2O is located within the chamber and normally urged toward the inlet passage by a spring 21.

The piston comprises a cup shaped washer 22 back-supported by a metal disc portion 23 and secured in place by a part 24. Inte- Ural with the disc portion 23 is a piston lsntemr 25 which is surrounded by a iieXible washer 25a held at the outlet end ofthe 21. rIhe stem is bored at 26, 27 and 28 to provide a by-pass for passage of lubricant from the chamber 17.

When it is desired to lubricate the bearings to which my new and improved charge chamber by a spring determining device is connected, the pump in the centralized lubricating system is operated to force lubricant through the conduits to the charge determining device into which the lubricant passes through the slot 24a in the part 2%, and then around the piston 20 in the device, as shown in Figure 1, thereby filling the chamber 17 of the device. The by-pass in the piston stem 25 is closed, while the chamber 17 is being filled with lubricant, thereby to prevent direct passage of lubricant from the chamber 17 to the parts to be lubricated. After the chamber is filled, the pressure of the lubricant acts upon the piston 2O to force it into the smaller part of the chamber 17, thereby cutting off the iiow of lubricant to the chamber, as shown by Figure 2. It should be noted that the bypass in the piston stem 25 is still closed and remains so until the piston 20 is moved slightly beyond closing position, thereby insuring against possibility of direct passage of lubricant from the pipe system to the parts to be lubricated.

During the travel of the piston between closing the opening into the chamber 17 and opening the by-pass in the piston stem 25, the lubricant may leak past the cup washer 22 from the chamber to permit movement of the piston after the inlet to the chamber 17 is closed. From the instant the bore 28 passes the flexible washer 25a until the end of the stroke of the piston, the lubricant passes from the chamber 17 through the bores 26, 27 and 28 into the outlet passage 19, as shown in Figure 3. rllhe quantity of the lubricant depends upon the stroke and the cross-sectional area of the chamber 17 minus the cross-sectional area of the piston stem 25. Therefore, by changing the dimensions of any one or all of Vthese elements, the quantity may be varied to suit the requirements of each bearing.

lVhen the lubricant pump ceases to operate, pressure in the system is relieved, the pressure on the piston 20 in the charge determining device is likewise relieved, thereby permitting the spring 21 to Vforce the piston back to its normal position, where the lubricant may again lill the cup and the operation may be repeated.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial N o. 80,244, iled January 9, 1926, for Lubricating apparatus.

lVhile I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it should be understood that changes involving omission, substitution, alteration and reversal of parts, and even changes in the mode of operation may be readily made, without departing from the 'scope of my invention, which is best defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A charge determining lubricant device comprising a lubricant chamber, an inletV therefor, an outlet for said chamber, mea-us movable in said chamber and normally closing said outlet and pern itting lu' ricant to i'owint-o said chamber from said inlet, said means movable first to prevent inflow of lubricant and second to open said outlet, said means having an appreciable movement between closing said inlet and opening said outlet.

2. A charge determining` lubricant expelling device comprising a lubricant measurchamber, a normally'opened inlet therefor, a normally closed outlet to said chamber, piston means movable in said chamber for controlling communication through said inlet and said outlet, said means closing said inlet against inflow oi' lubricant prior to opening said outlet, and means associated with said piston means for permitting back flow oi lubricant through said inlet after closing of said inlet to inflow of lubricant. f

3. A lubricating device comprising,` in combination, a lubricant chamber, a piston normally located so as to permit lubricant to pass around said piston into said chamber, and by-pass means from said chamber to a part to be lubricated normally closed to prevent passage of lubricant from sait chamber to the partto be lubricated until after said piston has closed the passage between the lubricant supply and said chamber.

d. A charge determining lubricant expelling devicecomprising a lubricant measuring chamber7 a piston reciprocable in said chamber and normally located at the inlet end of the chamber, a space between the piston in its normal position and the wall of A the chamber thereby to permit passage of lubricant around said piston to fill said chamber, and by-pass means carried by said piston to open said chamber to communication with the part to be lubricated subsequent to moving said piston to cut oil the supply of lubricantto said chamber. y

A charge determining lubricant eX- pelling device comprising a lubricant meas- Y larger' chamber,

uring chamber, a piston reciprocable in said chamber and normally located at the inlet end of the chamber, a space between the piston in its normal position and the wall of the chamber thereby to permit passage of lubricant around said piston to till said chamber, and by-pass means carried by said piston to open said chamber to communication with the part to-be lubricated subsequent to moving said piston to cut off the supply of lubricant to said chamber, said piston having a cup washer facing toward the inlet end ci said device to permit escape 'of lubricant from said chamber between the time when said piston closes the chamber and when the by-pass opens to permit lubri-l cantV to pass from said chamber to the part to be lubricated. Y Y

(i. A charge determining lubricant cup comprising a lubricant `measuring chamber enlarged at its inlet end, a spring-pressed piston normally urged into said enlarged portion of said chamber to provide a space around said piston for passage of lubricant, a piston stem carried by said piston and surrounded by a washer at the discharge end of said chamber to prevent leakage' around said stem and cooperating bores in said stem providing normally closed lby-pass means between said chamber and an outlet passage beyond said washer.

7. A charge determining lubricant cup comprising a lubricant measuring chamber enlarged at its inlet end, a spring-pressed piston normally urged into said enlarged portion of'said chamber around saidpiston for passagev of lubricant, a piston stem carried by said piston and surrounded by a washer at the discharge end of said chamber to prevent leakage around said stem and cooperating bores in said stem providing normally closed by-pass means between said chamber and' an outlet passage beyond said washer, said by-pass being opened by the forward movement of said piston and piston stem,` said pistonhaving a cup washer facing toward they inlet passage of said deviceto permit such passage of lubricant froml said chamber as is necessary to open the by-pass out of said chamber while preventing passageof lubricant into said chamber during operation of said piston. v

8. In a measuring valve for lubricating apparatus of the class described, the comination of a measuring chamber, a chamber of larger cross-section at one end thereof and from which said measuring chamber is supplied with lubricant, an inlet for said a valve for cutting oil inflow of lubricant to said measuring' chamber, a spring normally holding said va ve in said larger chamber, an outlet for said measuring chamber, andra discharge valve normally closing said outlet openable only after to provide a space des (Il l) said irst-named valve has moved an appreciable distance lengthwise of said measuring chamber after cutting off iniow of lubricant thereto.

9. In a measuring valve for lubricating apparatus of the class described, the combination of a measuring chamber, a chamber of larger cross-section at one end thereof and from which said measuring chamber is supplied with lubricant, an inlet for said larger chamber, a valve for cutting ofi inflow of lubricant to said measuring chamber, spring means normally holding said valve in said larger chamber and adjacent said inlet, an outlet for said measuring chamber providing a tubular valve seat, and a discharge valve having a tubular valve Jrace terminating at a point normally remote from the outlet end of said tubular valve seat whereby said discharge valve is opened only upon a predetermined movement of said first-named valve after said rst-named valve is moved into said measuring chamber to cut o further iiow of lubricant thereinto.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 14th day of November, 1927.

HOWARD J. MURPHY. 

